Irish bouzouki

Subject: Irish bouzouki
From: Nisse
Date: 25 Jun 97 - 05:24 PM

I wondering how the Irish bouzouki is tuned. GDAE? What´s the price of a bouzouki, highest-lowest?

Subject: RE: Irish bouzouki
From: Ralph Butts
Date: 25 Jun 97 - 06:38 PM

Nisse.......G-D-A-E is correct. Bouzouki and mandola are prominent in Irish music. Irish bouzouki (cittern) and octave mandolins are tuned an octave below regular mandolin, hence the rich tone. Price would probably be in the $600 to $1200 range for a quality new instrument, used ones are scarce as hen's teeth.....Tiger

Subject: RE: Irish bouzouki
From: LaMarca
Date: 26 Jun 97 - 01:57 PM

Just out of curiosity, how did bouzouki enter Irish music? If anyone knows how the larger members of the mandolin family (bouzouki, cittern, mandola, mandocello, etc) crept into Ireland, I'd like hear! Was Johnny Moynihan one of the first to use it, or were there earlier performers?

Subject: RE: Irish bouzouki
From: Cliff Mcgann
Date: 11 Jul 97 - 03:53 PM

Johnny Moynihan is credited with bringing it back to Ireland in the late 1960's and it was popularized by Donal Lunny Andy irvine and Alec Finn. Actually most Irish players tune the bouzouki GDAD or the less common ADAD.

Subject: RE: Irish bouzouki
From: GUEST,GLENZO THE mag pie...
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 02:24 PM

HI
I was drawn to the irish Bouzouki sound because of some of the anicent sounding medieval cords i heard in the playing.
(yet it is very versitile.. celtic bluegrass rock middle eastern are all posible)   it sounds deep though it is a fairly simple mid range instrument like a guitar not even as deep really...its a trick of relativity in the tuning...

eg. G+a+bc+D+e
    12345678    or
    1 2 34 5       plus drone and a second a third or a fourth
sound magic happens

it is a simple instrument and easy to play fast on..
thus the complexity of celtic tunage is given an ease of neg-go-she ation...and rewards noodling with rather cool stuff..... with (for me) a celtic accent... I think of it as being like a celtic telephone.. if you are inclined to be a celtic music party line eavesdropper...it picks up other channels as well of course....

me heros play in GDAD ADAD GDAE AND   MANY OTHER TUNINGS....
look through the postings here at MUDCAT and you wil see there has bin a lot experimentaion with tunings =&%#@ exciting times..
I think this is a great instrument and you are in for a real treat if you get one ebay prices for new zooks with accostic pickups is in the $350-400 range at the moment...or if you are handy a set of strings is just $10 and you can build your own

Subject: RE: Irish bouzouki
From: DonMeixner
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 02:55 PM

I have an entirely adequate Student Prince type from Trinity College instruments. My wife gave it to me for Christmas. It tunes well sounds fine and plays very well. About $ 400.00 US now for a good quality beginners model.

Don

Subject: RE: Irish bouzouki
From: John P
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 04:57 PM

We taught a workshop at a folk festival a few years ago on cittern/Irish bouzouki/octave mandolin. We had nine instruments in the room and seven different tunings. My instrument has five courses, tuned D-G-D-G-D.

Some other common tunings:
GDAE
ADAD
GDAE
AEAE
GDGD

I think a new Sobell cittern is in the $7000-$9000 range.

Subject: RE: Irish bouzouki
From: GUEST,TIA
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 05:16 PM

GDAE is better for melodic playing, GDAD for great droning-type chords (IMHO).
Agree with Don; the Trinity College is pretty cheap, but a very nice instrument.

Subject: RE: Irish bouzouki
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 05:21 PM

I think GDAE is more common with those who play melody with other things, eg mandolin or fiddle -it's a bit long (Cf ocatave mandolin for me) but the 5ths with mandolin and tenor banjo is familiar. I suspect a more open GDAD or ADAD would be more common otherwise.

Subject: RE: Irish bouzouki
From: michaelr
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 06:19 PM

GDAE is better for melodic playing, GDAD for great droning-type chords.

I use both tunings and have a quick way of switching between them without retuning:

Tune to FCGD (you'll have to get slightly heavier strings) and put a small capo on the second fret (I use a Kyser banjo capo). Now you have GDAE with the capo across all four courses, and GDAD with the capo only across the three bottom courses. Voila!

Subject: RE: Irish bouzouki
From: framus
Date: 24 Oct 10 - 12:12 PM

I've just bought an "Irish" bouzouki from Eagle Music. It is by Ozark, pretty plain but seems well built and finished. It came with a soft case, spare strings, a CD and an electronic tuner for £152 inc. UK postage. In gdae tuning it's great for melodies, although after the tenor and mandoline I'm still having difficulties with the slightly longer stretch required.
I don't know how much postage would be to the US (I notice you all talk in $), but a word with Steve Noon at Eagle would be worth while.
Good luck, whatever you buy, Davy.